HEADS UP: Rainbow Valley Draft Management Plan

Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 00:42
ThreadID: 48519 Views:3431 Replies:4 FollowUps:11
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If you are interested in Rainbow Valley in the Northern Territory you should read this. If you are not interested in Rainbow Valley, then perhaps you should be, and here is why:





There is a Draft Management Plan that has been produced which deserves comment in my view.
Particularly that the camping area seems destined to become a day use area only, and a commercial camping area will be established. I just object to the commercial aspect. A larger campground a little further away would be perfectly fine, ala Chambers Pillar.
They are proposing to open up the road in to conventional vehicles, so one can expect much greater demand, and consequently much greater threat to the amenity and conservation values of the park.
They are proposing to direct photography (my passion) towards lookouts... only problem is they will probably be timber structures (they don't say) that will shake the be-jesus out of any good photo.
If you enjoy the wider confines of the park, you might also be interested that access to that will apparently be significantly restricted under the proposed Conservation Zone.
The Plan is accessible through NT Parks Plans for Comment Page where you can expect to see other parks like Chambers Pillar and Devil's Marbles appearing in the near future. You have until August 17th to respond.
I'll leave it to you to give it some thought and make serious well reasoned submissions.
Cheers,
Andrew who is making a submission.
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Reply By: George (NT) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 08:12

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 08:12
Arrrr Young fella

2WD access to Rainbow Valley has been there for years. I took the wife's company Commodore all the way into the place in the early 90's. Had to gun it over a sand hill or two, though....lol

The sandstone formations in the valley are rather brittle, as you knoiw, and with the high rate of visitation these days, controlled access via walkways may be necessary.

Access is already restricted in the park and has been for years. I was lucky enough to look at the place before it became a reserve way back in the 70's. There are some interesting petroglyphs in the back corner of the reserve.

Cheers

Willem (on George's computer) in the warm country
AnswerID: 256361

Follow Up By: Member - Michael J (SA) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 09:48

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 09:48
Wot are you doing still up there???????

Get home, just read your rates are going up in the 'Borough.....lol

Gina passed through yesterday/or the day before, says you are going to visit Stony on your way home, if it's not during the week
might meet you up there.......

G'day George..patience of a saint u have...........LOL LOL

Cheers
Michael
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Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:09

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:09
Yeah well, I have taken my own crusty Ford Telstar there in my youthful days (the '80s)... so I know it is possible, but at least whilst they call it 4WD Recommended, it turns many away, plus at times it gets quite sandy once inside the park - some fritzen in britzen had trouble getting through there last week.

The sandstone is quite brittle, but the areas they seem to be protecting are not those (except the mushroom rock perhaps).

Access is not really very restricted at present - you can walk around the whole of the park quite easily including seeing the rock art if you know where it is.

Cheers
Andrew who can wander there for days.
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Follow Up By: George (NT) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:21

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:21
Start'n to move south again on Friday, Mr J.

Looking forward to spring weather in the Flinders..lol

Dunno when I will be at Warraweena. Could be Saturday week.

Cheers

Holidaying Willem on George's computer
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FollowupID: 517563

Follow Up By: George (NT) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:23

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:23
Start'n to move south again on Friday, Mr J.

Looking forward to spring weather in the Flinders..lol

Dunno when I will be at Warraweena. Could be Saturday week.

Cheers

Holidaying Willem on George's computer
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FollowupID: 517565

Follow Up By: George (NT) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:25

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:25
Bloody Gremlins. I thought that one couldn't post things twice.

Anyway Mr J, Uncle Milton is coming bacl with me as he flew up on Sunday arriving here at 2am!!!

Cheer

Willem and the lost edit function
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Reply By: Member - Brian H (QLD) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 08:47

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 08:47
I see it appears the same in 4x4 cycles as in fishing when it comes to draft management plans the public only gets about a week to read and respond.

I have to show my ignorance I don't know where Rainbow Valley is however the exluding of people from parts of OUR country is just getting out of control. It seems it is happening more and more and not only to 4x4 people.

Commerciial aspect Andrew by this do they mean commercial operators ie tour operators only, or is it like a manager whom collect fees from general public to stay in the designated camp area.

I will have a read of the plan, thanks for the heads up. I dare say there are HEAPS more of this happening around Australia then we get to hear about.

Brian

AnswerID: 256366

Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:10

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:10
Commercial means like in Wattarka - a company builds a campground nearby and you have to camp there.

I respect a lot of what the Management Plan is doing - the Park is getting a bit run down, but you still need to get there soon ;-)

Cheers
Andrew.
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Reply By: Hairy - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 10:27

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 10:27
Damn!!!
Better get down there and load up with some sandstone for the garden before they close it altogether

JOKING!!!!!!

Was down there a couple of months ago and the new track in is still dirt, but when dry easily accesible in any vehicle.
The clay pans are fenced off so you have to park half a km back and walk in.(real handy for old people and a bloody long way to drag an esky!)

I reckon all this fence everything off is a load of bleep e, the only thing they have saved is a bloody clay pan that fills up with water every year and washes all traces of tourists away anyway.
As for photos...you might as well sell them to your customers because they will all be the same if they go ahead with the new plans ( all taken from the same angle at the same time from the same place!)

Maybe I put a land claim on the whole frigin joint, bury it in concrete to preserve it for ever, give it a coat of paint and charge you all to take photos of it from the highway? (make the concrete thick enough and should see it from there).
Maybe I could hire telephoto lenses too?
LOL

Im going down there on the weekend with Handy, maybee for the last time, hey?

Cheers
Hairy
AnswerID: 256371

Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:15

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:15
Hi there Hairy,

They have graded the road in recently, although within a month it was more corrugated than the Anne Beadell. I guess that means as many people go there in a month as travell the A-B in 30 years.

I think the current fencing is designed to keep out cattle and camels, although it is a little broken down in places - oh, and to keep cars off the claypan! Remember the holden TVCs with utes doing donuts on the claypan in front of the rock face?

The claypan is quite a sensitive environment in many ways, but not until it gets wet. Once it is dry it is very stable... and I'm with you on the creativity police - you can only take a photo here!

Have a good time down there - remember to check out the back valleys over to James Range - well worth it late in the afternoon.

Cheers
Andrew who thinks most of the plan is constructive and an improvement.
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Follow Up By: Hairy - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:23

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 11:23
Yeh mate, We will be comming in from Chambers Pillar back way.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:37

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:37
I've heard there are locks on the gates the back way... perhaps you want to check with the ranger or Orange Grove or whatever the station's called.

You can always use the Titjikala Road out and it would be as fast.

Cheers
Andrew.
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FollowupID: 517477

Follow Up By: Hairy - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:26

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 22:26
Na..Blackfella land around the back.
Besides, someone removed the lock before we got there.
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Reply By: Member - peter C (WA) - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:02

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:02
Good advice Andrew.

I pretty much share your own views and have e-mailed them.

But your photos don't show the naked lady?
AnswerID: 256429

Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:36

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:36
Naked Lady - now, what were you drinking?

Anyways, I guess it is secret men's business.
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